Most single family residences and apartments rely on individual smoke detectors with built-in alarms that can be easily placed in various rooms. Larger buildings, such as apartment or condominium buildings, industrial plants, and schools often require more complex, networked commercial fire alarm systems. These fire alarm systems may include a controller that is centrally located and communicates with numerous alarms and detectors positioned over a large area. The alarm units provide light notification, sound notification, or both to occupants in the vicinity of the alarm. These systems are generally required to be tested periodically to verify that the system is fully operational.
In the conventional commercial system shown in FIG. 1, a fire alarm controller 113 communicates through communication line 109 with an alarm 103. More alarms 103 may be located in other rooms of the building or in other buildings located in the campus or complex.
A testing procedure is typically used to assess whether or not the alarms 103 and controller 113 are properly working. Conventionally, the testing procedure involves at least two people. A first service representative 101 is sent out into the building or complex with a two-way radio 105. A second service representative 100 must stay near the alarm controller 113, which is connected to the alarms 103 via a communication path 109. The second service representative communicates with the first service representative 101 via a second two-way radio 111. The service representatives must perform a manual visual inspection to make sure that each alarm 103 is functioning properly. One way to accomplish this is for the first representative to walk to an alarm 103 to be tested and inform the second representative to activate an alarm condition at alarm 103, possibly activating other alarms outside the perception of the first representative. Once the alarm 103 is activated, the first representative must communicate his observations back to the second service representative. To test the entire system, the process must be repeated for each alarm 103 in the system.
The walk through test required at the installation and regular maintenance of fire alarm systems is time consuming, costly and potentially disruptive particularly if the alarm 103 has a sound notification component. Further, because it is prone to human error, the walk through test is unreliable. A system is needed that requires less human involvement, less time to test alarm devices, is less disruptive, and is more reliable.